Dog Manges are one of the nastiest and utterly scary things that could ever happen to a little fur baby. This skin condition ends up making the pooch go completely hairless, with their skin exposed to the outer environment directly. As a result they are constantly uncomfortable, restless, anxious and in pain. So, while this generally needs professional care, you could also invest in proven natural remedies to prevent the case from further worsening.
The top natural and safe home remedies for treating dog mange includes, sponging your dog with a mixture of apple cider vinegar along with borax, applying honey or olive oil on the mange spots, or investing in citrus fruits like lemons. However these remedies are temporary and hence are best for usage until professional care is available.
So, now that we know some of the best remedies to try at home, let’s get further into the topic.
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What is dog mange?
A skin condition caused by abominable microscopic mites living on your pooch’s skin, dog mange as we described earlier leads a dog to have bald spots all over their body. This condition generally starts in a mild manner which can however spread rapidly if not diagnosed and treated soon.
Some of the common mites involved in these include Demodex mites, Sarcoptic mites, and the Cheyletiella mites. All of these three types of mites work differently with some crawling on the surface of the dog’s skin and some burrowing into it. But when present they bring about almost similar symptoms, such as serious hair loss, red, itchy skin, which also looks like scales in extreme cases.
This condition is highly contagious and hence the canine needs to be kept separate from other animals until they have recovered completely. Although it is treatable, delaying the treatment is bound to give the pup a wretched look and also cost high on your pockets. Therefore the best solution is to consult with a veterinarian before the situation gets out of hand.
What should I do if my dog has mange?
Well, the first and foremost wise thing to do will be to get veterinary care as soon as possible. Dog Mange is one of the most terrible skin conditions that could happen to any canine and therefore as a responsible pet parent your first motive should be to help out the fur baby as efficiently as possible. This includes getting them checked by a vet, running all necessary tests at the clinic, and performing as prescribed by the doctor to take care of the condition.
You will need to make a separate schedule for your pooch apart from their daily one to aid their proper recovery. For instance, getting them special baths, applying the advised medications, ointment, etc. But if the same isn’t available for any ‘x, y, z’ reason you could definitely try out the below-mentioned temporary home remedies for the time being.
Top 7 Natural and Safe Home Remedies to treat Dog Mange
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Apple Cider Vinegar and Borax
A highly sought after ‘miracle’ product, combining ½ cup of apple cider vinegar with ½ cup of borax and warm water can prove to be an effective rub on solution for your canine’s condition. Thanks to its high antimicrobial and acidic properties, using the solution properly has been linked to huge success in getting rid of these pesky mites.
To make this mixture, you will have to let the borax melt completely into the water before applying it directly to the pooch’s skin. It is also better to do a patch test first, just to be safe. Once done apply the mixture using a sponge or spray throughout the body and let it dry. Put on an Elizabethan collar to prevent the canine from licking away the borax mix.
This will destroy the mites’ reproductive cycle, thereby slowing down the spread. But you may want to use the appropriate amount of both the products, as overdoing it can leave their skin even more irritated and painful.
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Honey or Olive Oil
Filled with amazing healing properties, honey makes it as the second most effective, natural and safe home remedy for treating dog mange. When applied directly on the spot, it aids in efficiently cleaning any harmful bacteria, microbes, dust and grime that may be adding on to the condition. This in turn allows faster healing of the spot as their natural body cells get a chance to fight back against the foreign bodies.
Although using honey could be a messy affair, it is hands down the easiest and safest natural remedy for dogs with mange. You can also substitute honey with olive oil as it helps tend to the irate skin, offering good comfort to the fur baby.
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Aloe vera
Known for its superb soothing and antimicrobial qualities, you can also apply aloe vera on the manged skin. Using it offers instant cooling, reducing the severe itchiness and uneasy feeling almost immediately, so that the woofer can finally rest.
Upon applying, the antimicrobial properties of the plant destroys the mites by consuming their cell walls and hence exposing them to the natural T-cells. This however is nor over-the-night remedy. You will need to be regular with the procedure to get any specific results, for instance a few times a week is often the best. But unfortunately, aloe vera gel is only effective on localized dog mange than the ones that are covering the whole body.
Similarly, if you are using aloe gel on the mangy dog, follow them with an elizabethan collar or an e-collar. This is because the gel is toxic to the animals and when ingested it can cause severe gastrointestinal disorders, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
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Lemon
As most over-the-counter dog mange shampoos come with citric elements, combining freshly squeezed lemon juice and warm water in proper mixture can also come handy as a safe and effective home remedy for mange. The acidity will kill all bacteria and microbes that may be crawling on the pooch’s body, bringing them comfort at last.
Additionally, lemon juice is not at all toxic to dogs. Therefore even if the pup ends up licking, they probably won’t like the sour taste and also there won’t be any side-effects due to the accidental ingestion. Lemon juice may however trigger certain skin conditions, and thus, consulting your veterinarian is a must before going all-in.
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Yogurt
Only applicable on dogs suffering from mild, localized mange, yogurt is another popular home remedy. Putting a good amount of this amazingly natural probiotics is bound to eliminate the constant feeling of itchiness and even get rid of any bacteria, yeast, fungi that may be adding up to the issue.
When applied yogurt acts by smothering the microbes residing on the dog’s body and hence is a faster and safer way of keeping the condition under control, until further professional help arrives. On top of that, this kitchen ingredient is super safe and if ingested won’t cause any issue to their digestive system.
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Benzoyl Peroxide
Although not much of a home remedy using shampoos or ointments containing benzoyl peroxide is highly effective on mites causing dog mange. The chemical composition keeps the skin from being exposed to any further deteriorative elements.
The element works by disturbing the life cycle of these nasty mites, causing their bodies to disintegrate with every application. However, it might be necessary to have your pooch wear an Elizabethan collar as like any other chemical ingesting benzoyl peroxide or even licking it could stir up their gastrointestinal walls.
You can directly rub the solution into their skin and rinse it off or keep it for a certain period, based upon your vet’s directions.
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Garlic
Finally, garlic is possibly the last natural and safe ingredient that you could use on your dog mange. Just take five to ten garlic cloves, cut-up peel of one lemon and water. Keep the contents dipped in water and let it stay overnight. This will allow the juice from the ingredients to mix in water efficiently which can be later used as a home-made spray of getting rid of mange causing mites.
The advantage of doing this is that this concoction can be stored in the refrigerator and used as many times as required. The smell would keep both the mites as well as the pooch away and hence you don’t have to worry about them licking it off their body when you aren’t paying attention.
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